


The most remarkable thing about you standing in the doorway is that it's you

by neveranygoodupthere



Category: The Penumbra Podcast
Genre: Happy Ending, I don't think, Jealous Peter Nureyev, Jealousy, Love Confessions, No Spoilers, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-01
Updated: 2020-05-01
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:53:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,201
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23946490
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/neveranygoodupthere/pseuds/neveranygoodupthere
Summary: They started the night off fighting. The fighting wasn’t unusual—Juno’s default setting was snarky and argumentative and Nureyev only tolerated so much sass before he got exasperated. Usually the exasperation led to Juno being dragged into a dark corner where Nureyev told him to behave in between kissing him breathless. Sometimes he timed himself to see how quickly he could make it happen.Tonight was…different.
Relationships: Peter Nureyev/Juno Steel
Comments: 10
Kudos: 97





	The most remarkable thing about you standing in the doorway is that it's you

**Author's Note:**

> Heeey, brand new fandom, all thanks to [northisnotup](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Northisnotup/pseuds/Northisnotup)
> 
> Not set in any particular canon time and forgive any mistakes or off-characterizations since I’m still very early in Season 2.
> 
> Tumblr prompt fill--"You're jealous." 
> 
> Title is from "Going to Georgia" by The Mountain Goats. Sorry it's practically longer than the fic. 
> 
> Please to enjoy.

They started the night off fighting. The fighting wasn’t unusual—Juno’s default setting was snarky and argumentative and Nureyev only tolerated so much sass before he got exasperated. Usually the exasperation led to Juno being dragged into a dark corner where Nureyev told him to behave in between kissing him breathless. Sometimes he timed himself to see how quickly he could make it happen. 

Tonight was…different. 

“Did you really have to lick salt off her hand, Juno?” They were the first words out of Nureyev’s mouth as he joined Juno in one of the sketchier dives in Old Town. Sat at the end of the bar, Juno could see the whole room, which was mostly empty save for two old men with red noses and yellow eyes playing cards, a woman in either her thirties or her fifties wearing a leather mini skirt and smoking a cigarette, and Tanya, the bartender Juno’d just done tequila shots with. She was tall, taller than Nureyev in heels, with long brown hair, her black halter top and barely-there black shorts showed off her muscles. She looked like she could knock Juno around a bit, which he didn’t mind at all, but he only had eyes for the man beside him who he hadn’t seen in two months. The man who did not look happy to see him. 

“You know I can never turn down a beautiful woman offering me tequila and the location of the latest operations base of a local crime boss,” Juno joked warily. He reached under the bar to take Nureyev’s hand. Nureyev moved it on top of the bar. Okay then. 

Tanya ambled over. She topped off Juno’s rocks glass with a wink, then turned to Nureyev who shook his head before she could speak. She raised her eyes at the malevolent snarl on his face but shrugged and drifted back to the other end of the bar. Juno watched, confused, as Nureyev worked to get his face under control before turning to Juno. He didn’t quite manage it. 

“I thought you asked me to come here to help you investigate. You just couldn’t wait?” 

“Uh, well, you were late, and it was easier to get her talking than I anticipated.” Juno thought about that and sighed. “Which kind of makes me doubt the info she gave me, dammit. But I have a few other avenues I’m exploring if this doesn’t pan out. You can help me with those.” 

“Oh, thank you _so_ much.” Juno reeled back at the sarcasm. “What’s next? We head over to Valles Vicky’s for you to suck vodka from a dancer’s belly button so they reveal the planet’s nuclear codes?” 

“What the hell, man? Why are you being like this?” 

“I’ve had a hard two months, Juno. All I wanted to do when I landed was come to your apartment and curl up with you in bed. Instead, I practically popped a corset string rushing here to help you with a lead only to find you with your mouth latched onto some liquor-swinging goddess. I feel I’m entitled to be in a bit of a strop.” 

Juno was pretty good at his job, and the clues Nureyev was dropping weren’t exactly subtle. What those clues were adding up to, though— 

“Wait. Wait a minute. You’re jealous.” 

Nureyev scoffed. “Ridiculous.” The ruby jewel dangling from his earlobe caught the light as he looked away. Juno’s eyes widened.

“No, you are definitely jealous. I just don’t know of what.” He did know of what. It just didn’t make any sense. 

“‘ _Of what_ ’ he says,” Nureyev sneered to himself. Louder, “I don’t like this conversation, Juno.” 

Shoulders straight, Nureyev glared down his nose at the bar top. Instead of his usual elegant confidence, he looked brittle and small. Juno took his hand. This time, Nureyev let him, clutching him like a lifeline. He still refused to meet Juno’s eyes. 

“I think you better tell me.” His voice was gentle. “Hey, look at me.” 

Nureyev did, finally, and Juno could see the familiar exasperation. But there was something desperate under it. “ _You_ look at you, Juno!” 

Startled, Juno glanced down. He wore a dark t-shirt, hoodie, and jeans. His shoes were nice but scuffed, and he didn’t have on any jewelry. He wasn’t even sure he’d put on deodorant this morning. He’d been upset because he hadn’t had time to freshen up between the time Nureyev called him to let him know he was on-planet and when he had to be at the bar. But his casual look fit in with the setting so he’d shrugged it off.

“You’re beautiful,” Nureyev continued, unaware of Juno’s complete confusion. He shook off Juno’s hand to gesticulate. “And you’re funny and clever and _interesting_. I never get to see you and when I do get to, after _months_ , we’re investigating and you have to flirt with hot bartenders for information, and I _hate_ it.” 

Juno couldn’t keep in a disbelieving laugh. Nureyev buried his face in his hands. “Don’t laugh at my distress, Juno, I know I’m being undignified, you don’t have to rub it in.” 

“Hey, no, no.” Juno pulled his hands down, held onto them. “I would never laugh at you about this. I’m just confused. I—I can’t always understand why you stay with me. I know I’m not easy to be around—” 

“Juno, no—”

“No, you know it’s true. I’m grumpy and sarcastic and self-involved.” Juno swallowed. Here it was, he’d solved the case but it wouldn’t be closed until he’d monologued the solution to the world. “You’re a gorgeous, charming, kind, smart, amazing thief. I’m a low-rent, pain-in-the-ass PI. But here you are, being an idiot in love. You love me and you’re jealous when I talk to hot bartenders because you think they want me.” 

“They do want you.” 

“And you’re afraid I might actually want them.” 

“It’s not illogical to assume—” 

Juno shut him up with a kiss. A music-swelling, foot-popping, cinematic climax of a kiss, in front of God and Tanya-the-bartender, and every down-on-their-luck Old Town barfly knocking back whiskey on a Monday night. 

Nureyev finally pulled back, breathless. Normally, where Juno was high strung and rash, Nureyev was in control, always calm and collected. To see him like this, hair a mess, cheeks flushed, eyes wild, and all for Juno—Juno loved it. He loved him. So he told him so. 

“I love you, Peter.” He whispered it in his ear, never willing to risk anyone overhearing his love’s most closely guarded secret. Nureyev whimpered. 

“You’ve never said that before.” 

“That’s because I’m an idiot.” 

“Then I suppose we’re idiots together.” They smiled at each other. Juno never smiled so much in his life as he did when he was around Nureyev. It was nice. 

“I’ve got all the intel I need. You wanna get out of here?” Juno pulled them to standing. Nureyev glanced around and Juno followed suit. No one was looking at them except the bartender, who rolled her eyes at Juno and went back to wiping down the bar with a huff. Juno looked back in time to catch Nureyev’s triumphant smirk. 

“Yes, my love. Take me home.” 

**Author's Note:**

> Please consider leaving a comment! I love them a whole lot. Thank you for reading!
> 
> Find me on [tumblr](https://neveranygoodupthere.tumblr.com).


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